660 NAVAL REMINISCENCES. 



forthwith. He trembled not a little under this threat ; but at length 

 he took courage from despair, and, by a bribe of a shilling and 

 a glass of saved grog, the certificates were dispatched as the narrative 

 had been before. 



One week passed, and no answer came ; a second wore away, and 

 still there was none ; a third week elapsed, and poor Charley's heart 

 sunk to his heels ; a fourth, and his hopes vanished altogether. At 

 length, one day, some six weeks after his letter had been despatched, 

 when he was peeping out at the gangway-port, the serjeant of 

 marines, returning with the post-bag, tipped him a wink, and in half 

 a minute afterwards he heard the boatswain's-mate exclaim 



-" Pass the word for John W there forward." 



" My eyes/' said Charley, " how I shook ! I thought it was all up 

 with me then." 



" You idle, mutinous scoundrel !" the captain exclaimed, holding 

 out the packet, " what have you to say to that ? Did not I tell you, 

 if I caught you corresponding with the government offices again, I 

 would give you a couple of dozen ? There, you rascal, read your 

 letter, and then strip. I'll see if I can't make you obey my orders." 



Charley took the fatal billet, fumbled at the seal, and after having 

 with some difficulty broken it, opened and read : 



" Mr. John W , I am directed, by the Lord Commissioners, to 



acquaint you, that their Lordships have been pleased to appoint you 



Carpenter of his Majesty's sloop of war K., now lying at , and 



it is their Lordship's orders that you, with the least possible delay, 

 repair on board the said vessel. You will receive the warrant of 

 your appointment on application at the proper office. 1 ' 



"D m his eyes!" roared out the impatient captain, " is the 

 fellow going to stand all day turning over and over that letter what 

 is in it, rascal ?" 



" Sir," replied Charley, a smile contending with the terror which 

 had not yet altogether forsaken his face " Sir, I am a warrant- 

 officer !" 



And so he was, and so, I hope, he is still, for it would be a pity 

 for so honest a fellow to die one day under fourscore at least. The 

 good old Earl had waded through Charley's long story, had de- 

 ciphered his bad hand, his worse spelling, and worst grammar ; he 

 had examined his certificates, and having satisfied himself that the 

 humble applicant spoke the truth, and no more, he at once raised 

 him to the summit of his ambition, by making him a warrant- 

 officer. 



